Population in Nepal
Nepal: Population was 29.69 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
29.69 million people
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
51st
of 236 countries
All-time high
29.72 million people
in 2022
All-time low
8.40 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Nepal, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, population in Nepal stood at 29.69 million people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Nepal peaked at 29.72 million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 8.40 million people, in 1950.
Nepal ranks 51st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Nepal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.40 million people | — |
| 1951 | 8.57 million people | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 8.75 million people | +2.0% |
| 1953 | 8.92 million people | +2.0% |
| 1954 | 9.09 million people | +1.9% |
| 1955 | 9.26 million people | +1.9% |
| 1956 | 9.43 million people | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 9.60 million people | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 9.77 million people | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 9.94 million people | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 10.12 million people | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 10.32 million people | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 10.52 million people | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 10.73 million people | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 10.95 million people | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 11.17 million people | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 11.41 million people | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 11.65 million people | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 11.91 million people | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 12.17 million people | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 12.44 million people | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 12.71 million people | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 12.99 million people | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 13.28 million people | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 13.57 million people | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 13.87 million people | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 14.18 million people | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 14.50 million people | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 14.84 million people | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 15.19 million people | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 15.55 million people | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 15.92 million people | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 16.30 million people | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 16.69 million people | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 17.09 million people | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 17.48 million people | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 17.87 million people | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 18.25 million people | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 18.64 million people | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 19.06 million people | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 19.52 million people | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 20.04 million people | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 20.61 million people | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 21.18 million people | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 21.72 million people | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 22.25 million people | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 22.74 million people | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 23.22 million people | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 23.68 million people | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 24.13 million people | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 24.55 million people | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 24.95 million people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 25.33 million people | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 25.69 million people | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 26.02 million people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 26.31 million people | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 26.57 million people | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 26.79 million people | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 26.99 million people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 27.17 million people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 27.34 million people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 27.46 million people | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 27.53 million people | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 27.59 million people | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 27.67 million people | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 27.82 million people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 27.96 million people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 28.01 million people | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 28.08 million people | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 28.41 million people | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 28.97 million people | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 29.48 million people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 29.72 million people | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 29.69 million people | -0.1% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 29.69 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.20 million people, 2.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 29.69 million people is above the median for South Asia, which is 26.33 million people, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.17 million people | 8.40 million people | 9.94 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 11.09 million people | 10.12 million people | 12.17 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.76 million people | 12.44 million people | 15.19 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.28 million people | 15.55 million people | 19.06 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.91 million people | 19.52 million people | 24.13 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.04 million people | 24.55 million people | 27.17 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.79 million people | 27.34 million people | 28.41 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.46 million people | 28.97 million people | 29.72 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 48 Saudi Arabia 33.26 million people compare
- 49 Madagascar 31.20 million people compare
- 50 Cote d'Ivoire 31.17 million people compare
- 52 Cameroon 28.37 million people compare
- 53 Venezuela 28.30 million people compare
- 54 Australia 26.45 million people compare
More population data for Nepal
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6271 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0333 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.41 million people (2100)
- Population density 222.05 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8575 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8872 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Nepal?
- Population in Nepal was 29.69 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 29.72 million people in 2022.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.40 million people in 1950.
- How does Nepal rank for population?
- Nepal ranks 51st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.